Dahi Sev Papdi or Papri Chaat

Papri chaat, paapri chaat or papdi chaat is a popular traditional fast food and street food from the Indian subcontinent, notably in North India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Many various additional dishes throughout India are also referred to as papri chaat. Some restaurants in the United States serve the traditional version of the dish.
Papri chaat is traditionally prepared using crisp fried dough wafers known as papri, along with boiled chick peas, boiled potatoes, dahi (yogurt) and tamarind chutney and topped with chaat masala and sev. The papri are typically prepared with refined white flour and ghee or oil. Mint, cilantro and spices may also be used. The dish has sweet, sour, tangy and spicy flavors and a creamy and crunchy texture.
Papi for Papri chaat is easily available these days at most Indian groceries in the USA but if you decide to make you own, here is the recipe.
How to prepare Papdi for chaat at home

Ingredients needed:
All purpose flour/ maida – 1 cup
Ajwain (omam) -3/4 tsp
Sooji/ravai – 1 tsp
Ghee or oil – 1 tbsp
Salt as needed
Baking soda/cooking soda – a pinch
Oil for deep frying

Method
In a bowl, mix together ghee and baking soda. Then add maida, sooji, ajwain, salt and knead into a firm but smooth dough adding water little at a time. Keep it covered for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, roll it out into a big circle dusting a little flour.(pic-2)

Using a fork, prick holes all over the circle.This is done to prevent the poori from puffing while frying.

Then cut it into small circles using a bottle cap or cookie cutter. Remove the extra dough from the sides of the circles, knead again and repeat the same process. Keep all the circles ready in a plate dusted with flour.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the papdi in batches.Fry both sides until golden brown.

Remove from oil and keep it in a colander to drain excess oil. Repeat the process for the rest of the papdi.

After it cools, store in an airtight container.
Few things to keep in mind when making this recipes:
Instead of all purpose flour, you can use half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour.
It is important to make the tight and firm dough. It the dough is soft then it will absorb more oil and takes more time to crisp up while frying.
Prick the papdi with fork properly. If you miss pricking any places, it will puff up. Here we don’t want puffed puri. We are making flat puris.
Instead of ajwain seeds, you can try with cumin seeds for different flavor.
Below is the video to get the ideas for variations. Dahi sev puri is prepared the same way, except puffed crispy puris are used.

Now, let’s make the chaat using the papris. You will need following:
INGREDIENTS

24 papdis
250g Greek or regular thick yoghurt (full fat)
1 large potato, boiled, peeled and chopped
2 cups of chickpeas (tinned)
1 small red onion
1 tomato
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup chopped mint
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1-2 tsp chaat masala (if you want it)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice
Green Mint and Coriander Chutney:
1 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1 green chilli
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Tamarind Chutney:
1/2 cup of jaggery – finely chopped (or brown sugar)
1/2 cup of tamarind paste
1/2 cup of seedless dates
boiled down with 250ml of water
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger powder
2 cups of water
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS

For the Green Chutney: blend all the ingredients together to a smooth paste using very little water. For the Tamarind Chutney: blend the boiled dates, jaggery, tamarind paste, spices and water. Sieve through a strainer
For the Papdi Chaat: arrange the papdis: Top with cubed potato and chickpeas.
Sprinkle with the red chilli powder.
Add sliced onion and chopped tomatoes.
Whisk the yoghurt and then spoon onto the papdi.
Top with the green chutney and then the tamarind chutney.
Sprinkle with salt, red chilli powder, and cumin powder.
Squeeze over the lime juice.
Sprinkle with the sev.
Sprinkle with the chopped coriander, chopped mint leaves and pomegranate.

Papri Chaat Making

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 peoplele
Author: Bhavna

Ingredients

For the Papri Dough:

  • All purpose flour/ maida – 1 cup
  • Ajwain omam -3/4 tsp
  • Sooji/ravai – 1 tsp
  • Ghee or oil – 1 tbsp
  • Salt as needed
  • Baking soda/cooking soda – a pinch
  • Oil for deep frying

For Papri Chaat:

  • 24 papdis
  • 250 g Greek or regular thick yoghurt full fat
  • 1 large potato boiled, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups of chickpeas tinned
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 to mato
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander
  • ½ cup chopped mint
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1-2 tsp chaat masala if you want it
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp lime juice

Green Mint and Coriander Chutney:

  • 1 cup chopped mint
  • ½ cup chopped coriander
  • 1 green chilli
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Tamarind Chutney:

  • ½ cup of jaggery – finely chopped or brown sugar
  • ½ cup of tamarind paste
  • ½ cup of seedless dates
  • boiled down with 250ml of water
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 2 cups of water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

For making Papri

  • In a bowl, mix together ghee and baking soda. Then add maida, sooji, ajwain, salt and knead into a firm but smooth dough adding water little at a time. Keep it covered for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, roll it out into a big circle dusting a little flour.(pic-2)
  • Using a fork, prick holes all over the circle.This is done to prevent the poori from puffing while frying.
  • Then cut it into small circles using a bottle cap or cookie cutter. Remove the extra dough from the sides of the circles, knead again and repeat the same process. Keep all the circles ready in a plate dusted with flour.
  • Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the papdi in batches.Fry both sides until golden brown.
  • Remove from oil and keep it in a colander to drain excess oil. Repeat the process for the rest of the papdi.
  • After it cools, store in an airtight container.

For the Green Chutney: blend all the ingredients together to a smooth paste using very little water. For the Tamarind Chutney: blend the boiled dates, jaggery, tamarind paste, spices and water. Sieve through a strainer

    For the Papdi Chaat: arrange the papdis: Top with cubed potato and chickpeas.

    • Sprinkle with the red chilli powder.
    • Add sliced onion and chopped tomatoes.
    • Whisk the yoghurt and then spoon onto the papdi.
    • Top with the green chutney and then the tamarind chutney.
    • Sprinkle with salt, red chilli powder, and cumin powder.
    • Squeeze over the lime juice.
    • Sprinkle with the sev.
    • Sprinkle with the chopped coriander, chopped mint leaves and pomegranate.

    Notes

    Few things to keep in mind when making papri: Instead of all purpose flour, you can use half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour. It is important to make the tight and firm dough. It the dough is soft then it will absorb more oil and takes more time to crisp up while frying. Prick the papdi with fork properly. If you miss pricking any places, it will puff up. Here we don’t want puffed puri. We are making flat puris. Instead of ajwain seeds, you can try with cumin seeds for different flavor.